Ginnie-Mae

Ida Mae Tutweiler is pleasantly surprised to learn her oldest and dearest friend Jane is coming to town for a visit. In preparation, Ida Mae places her heirloom china tea set on the table, puts the water on the stove and even finds a few cookies to share. The scene is set for a relaxing catch-up session between two unlikely pals. But when Jane arrives, she brings tragic news, and Ida Mae's life is never the same.

Ida Mae is a woman of her time -- which to the modern reader feels incredibly homespun and old-fashioned. Her personality is offered in snippets of journal entries and first person narratives, which provide a history of broken hearts and haughty relatives.

Jane, on the other hand, is flamboyant and fresh. She's an actress with a flair for entrances and exits, but one who hasn't let celebrity cloud her understanding of real friendship. Even her poor decision-making skills are endearing and understandable. However, her decision to enjoy one last tea party with her more steadfast counterpart is a wise one, and gives this tender story a glimpse at the unbreakable bond of their friendship.

Ginnie Siena Bivona has a gift for using all the reader's senses. Close your eyes and feel the old South emerge in this tale. Listen for the strains of Billie Holiday coming from the parlor. Feel the warmth of the summer sun on your skin. Hear the sound of children's feel slapping against the wood floor. Taste the sweet
jam slathered on homemade scones.

"Ida Mae Tutweiler and the Traveling Tea Party" is a simple, charming little yarn, delicate as a crocheted lace doily. Bivona's writing is crisp and fast-paced, and her storytelling skills will invoke long-forgotten memories of how good a cup of tea with friends can taste at the end of an afternoon.

The title of this book snagged me from the word go. There was something about the name "Tutweiler" and the thought of a "traveling tea party" that I found instantly appealing. If you delight in the ritual of tea time with all the trimmings (china cups, Earl Grey, and hot scones), then you must read this book. If you never had a proper cup of tea in your life, then you really must read this book, for the traveling tea party is indeed a moveable feast. Always in the background of the lives of Ida Mae and Jane, a "good hot cuppa" becomes the silent partner to the confessions, laughter, triumphs and failures that only best friends can understand. Seemingly polar opposites, Ida and Jane will remind you that there really is no rhyme or reason for friendship beyond the fact that you truly care about what happens to another person. So plonk yourself down into a cosy armchair and get ready for a great read and a good cry. When you're done, you can make tracks for the store, 'cause after you've read the recipes at the end, your mouth will probably be watering for one of those ham and asparagus roll-ups... to say nothing of "the deepest, darkest secret" of Ida Mae's life. Just remember to share it with your best friend.

My husband brought Ginnie's book home yesterday from a booksigning at Barnes and Noble saying that she told him it is a woman'sbook. We know Ginnie from several years ago and we're pleased to see a book of hers published. I took a look one at it and started reading it. I didn't stop until I finished. I loved it! It's a wonderful story. In a short amount of time, she created real people and lives. I especially liked her vehicle for telling the story, starting with the present and paralleling the past,through a diary, revealing it bit by bit. It reminded me a little of Certain Women by Madeleine L'Engle (one of my most favorite authors). The recipes at the end make Ida Mae and Janet all the more real. I was able to identify so closely with the friendship between these two women. I constantly found myself thinking of my dearest friend and the times we have shared. We are not able to see each other very often so, like the Ida Mae and Janet, it makes the time spent together so much more dear. I will be getting another copy for my mother-in-law. and of course, for my best friend. They will love it, too.

Warning! This is nothing but a reproduction of thousands of government agency WEB PAGES, all available FOR FREE to anyone with internet access. It is NOT INDEXED, meaning you have to search the entire disc for words or phrases you're interested in JUST LIKE YOU WOULD ON THE INTERNET. I am returning this at once!

This steaming heap of information was UNcarefully gathered from the Internet (by some type of automated, grab-it-all crap program) ... dumped UNedited into giant PDF files and burned to CD. It is less useful than a simple hyperlinks to HUD, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. I can't begin to tell you how ugly this is. I haven't seen information this DISorganized since the streets of NY filled with paper showering down from the horrific World Trade Center disaster. Absolutely worthless. Trash. Avoid this at any cost.